Training & Regulations
Published on 13 Mar 2025
James Willoughby
UK CAA releases 2025/26 Scheme of Charges for drone operators
Scheme of Charges includes price-rise for PDRA applications and sets out costs for applications under the new SORA methodology.
UK CAA publishes Scheme of Charges for 2025-26 for drone operators;
Headlines include a price increase for PDRA applications;
The Scheme also outlines a new pricing structure to be introduced as part of the adoption of UK SORA - beginning on April 23, 2025;
CAA justifies price rises, saying the charges 'remain broadly appropriate given the need to cover the costs of the SORA and PDRA services'.
The UK CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) has released its Scheme of Charges 2025/26 for drone operators - which includes a £266 price rise for PDRA-01 Operational Authorisations.
As part of the ORS5 and the Scheme of Charges for RPAS, the cost of a PDRA application will increase from £234 a year to £500 - coming into effect on April 1, 2025.
Prices for applications under the new UK SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) methodology - which comes into effect on April 23, 2025 - are also set out, and show a higher fee structure compared to the existing OSC (Operating Safety Case) framework, which will be replaced by SORA.
One of the driving factors behind the price increases is the introduction of UK SORA on a digital platform - known as the DSCO (Digitising Specific Category Operations) project.
The new pricing structure will help launch and further develop the digital platform and SORA methodology, which the CAA says will 'enhance the safety assurance and efficiency' of applying for Operational Authorisations in the Specific Category.
Release Follows Consultation
The release of the official pricing structure for 2025/26 follows a consultation on the proposals, published towards the end of 2024. The official CAA response to the consultation can be viewed here.
Concerns raised by the drone community included the impact of the proposed RPAS increases on the viability and growth in the sector, while ARPAS-UK has said it is 'disappointed' with the CAA's decision to 'proceed with significant and disproportionate' charges.
The CAA has said that while the increase for PDRA charges 'is significant in percentage terms', its analysis has shown that it is 'likely affordable for users and unlikely to have an adverse effect on the financial viability of the sector'.
It adds that while fees will be higher under the SORA framework, 'the service to be provided under SORA on the digital platform is of a significantly higher standard than under OSC. Given the enhanced value of the service, and in keeping with our core charging principles, we believe our proposals remain valid.'
The CAA also says that it has made amendments to some of its original proposals:
The planned 5.9% price increase to specifically consulted changes will not be applied;
The initial charge for SORA applications in the SAIL II category and above has been reduced by 12.5%;
The charge for providing an approval under an alternative means of compliance charge has been reduced to £2,185 - compared to the proposed rate of £4,992 - subject to an excess hourly rate.
The CAA states that there is 'a below-inflation increase to all charges of 1.6%' and says: 'We believe our original proposals for RPAS charges remain broadly appropriate given the need to cover the costs of the SORA and PDRA services'.
The Authority adds: 'It is critical for the UK to adopt the SORA risk methodology to improve customer experience through consistent and predictable outcomes and to realistically allow higher-risk and innovative operations to be approved.'
Drone operator prices for 2025/26
The Scheme of Charges outlines prices from April 1, 2025, through to April 22, 2025. From April 23, 2025, a different structure will come into force to take into account the adoption of UK SORA.
Specific Category - Operational Authorisation (OSC OA and PDRA01 OA) - Pricing Structure From April 1, 2025-April 22, 2025
Application Type | Initial Charge | Renewal Charge |
|---|---|---|
Specific category - Operational authorisation with operating safety case risk assessment (OSC OA) - Case 1 | £2,314 | £662 |
Specific category - Operational authorisation with operating safety case risk assessment (OSC OA) - Case 2 (eg VLOS flights above 400ft or drones with less than 25kg mass with reduced separation distance) | £1,323 | £662 |
Specific category – Operational authorisation with pre-defined risk assessment (PDRA-01 OA) | £500 | N/A |
Specific category – Light UAS certificate | £6,622 | £2,314 |
Special UAS project | £2,314 | N/A |
Issue of a duplicate operational authorisation | £108 | N/A |
CAA regulatory advice and guidance | £330 | N/A |
The table above does not include excess charges. Refer to the Scheme of Charges for specific details.
Other costs include:
Technical variations to an OSC OA: £827
Administrative variations to OSC OAs and PDRA01 OAs: £108
Specific Category - Operational Authorisation (SORA OA PDRA01 OA & AltMOC OA) - Pricing Structure From April 23, 2025
Application Type | Initial Charge | Renewal Charge |
|---|---|---|
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – Pre-Defined Risk Assessments (PDRA) - Declarative | £500 | £500 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – Pre-Defined Risk Assessments (PDRA) - Non-Declarative | £2,185 | £2,185 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – SORA - SAIL I | £2,185 | £2,185 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – SORA - SAIL II (initial application & non-technical reapplication) | £3,495 | £3,495 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – SORA - SAIL III/IV (initial application & non-technical reapplication) | £13,759 | £8.816 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – SORA - SAIL V/VI (initial application & non-technical reapplication) | £39,967 | £13,420 |
Specific Category Operational Authorisation – Alternative Means of Compliance | £2,185 | £2,185 |
Specific Category – Light UAS certificate | £6,622 | £2,314 |
Issue of a duplicate operational authorisation | £108 | N/A |
CAA regulatory advice and guidance | £330 | N/A |
SAIL II-SAIL V/VI will be subject to excess charges ranging from £330 to £496 an hour, while Alternative Means of Compliance, Light UAS Certificate, and CAA regulatory advice and guidance will also be subject to excess charges. Refer to the Scheme of Charges for specific details.
Other prices include:
Technical variations to OAs issued under an alternative means of compliance OA: £827
Administrative variations to SORA OAs, PDRA01 OAs and AltMOC OAs: £108
What Is UK SORA?
The UK Specific Operations Risk Assessment (UK SORA) is a risk-based framework which will be used to evaluate and approve drone operations in the Specific Category.
The methodology is used to identify the risks associated with drone operations and is designed to ensure that drones operate safely while allowing for greater flexibility in Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and other advanced operations.
A SAIL (Specific Assurance and Integrity Level) mark will be given to each operation.
What Is SAIL?
SAIL is a key concept that defines the level of risk associated with a drone operation and the corresponding requirements needed to mitigate that risk.
It is a tired system.
SAIL I: Very low-risk operations (e.g., small drones in remote areas with minimal exposure to people or critical infrastructure).
SAIL II: Low-risk operations that still require some safety measures.
SAIL III: Moderate-risk operations, possibly over controlled ground environments.
SAIL IV: Higher-risk operations requiring stronger mitigations (e.g., urban BVLOS flights).
SAIL V: Very high-risk operations, similar to traditional aviation standards.
SAIL VI: Extremely high-risk operations that demand the most stringent safety requirements (e.g., operating large drones in densely populated areas or near critical airspace).
